From Neighbourhood Watch
Dear DEREK
There are various banking scams at the moment, such as from HSBC and Santander. 'Which' magazine has advised that the fake HSBC text directs customers to call a fraudulent helpline - hoping to trick HSBC customers into giving away sensitive details. These texts display ‘PASSCODE’ as the sender and attempt to capitalise on security checks known as ‘strong customer authentication’ (SCA). An example of this text reads: ‘HSBC: Your OTP is 429384 for a payment of 850.00 GDP to EXPEDIA – REF: HS9X. If this wasn’t you, call us immediately on 0330 828 1274. If you call the number you will hear an automated recorded message or interactive voice response asking you to input your branch sort code and 15-digit card number or customer identification number before being supposedly put through to an adviser. Don't do it!
The previous Carphone Warehouse scammers have now realised that this name no longer exists and are using Currys/PC World to phone residents. Be wary of any unexpected calls saying that they are from Currys/PC World.
I am attaching a document which gives good advice on how to protect yourself when purchasing products online, especially leading up to Christmas. Also the Parcel Delivery scams will no doubt increase.
Regards
David
PS Thanks to our colleagues in Berkshire for the above detaills
Attachments
Neighbourhood Watch Flyer 2.0 (2) FINAL.pdf - 74.3 KB
Message Sent By
David Alder (NWN, Area Representative, Thames Valley, South Buckinghamshire (East))
************************************************
The text from the Neighbourhood Watch Flyer 2.0 (mentioned above) is reproduced below:
Computer and mobile device users can be at risk of being hacked, scammed, and phished, but when the Christmas holidays arrive, which means more time spent online shopping and browsing, crooks really have an opportunity to cause some mischief.
They’re hacking consumers using sophisticated phishing attacks that attempt to trick people into giving up their personal information, including bank account details or credit card data.
Follow these tips to help protect yourself during the holiday season.
Watch out for deals that are too good to be true
Black Friday deals have convinced the world that insane discounts are to be expected leading up to Christmas or in the sales.
Amazing discounts and promotions – delivered via email, text message, or an opportune pop-up window on the Web – may lead you to bogus ecommerce sites strictly designed to separate you from your credit card number. Order the merchandise promised, and it may never come – but you’ll be charged for it (and more) just the same.
Be extra vigilant when shopping for Christmas. Some deals sound too good to be true because they are. They could be outright scams.
Computer and mobile device users can be at risk of being hacked, scammed, and phished, but when the Christmas holidays arrive, which means more time spent online shopping and browsing, crooks really have an opportunity to cause some mischief.
They’re hacking consumers using sophisticated phishing attacks that attempt to trick people into giving up their personal information, including bank account details or credit card data.
Follow these tips to help protect yourself during the holiday season.
Watch out for deals that are too good to be true
Black Friday deals have convinced the world that insane discounts are to be expected leading up to Christmas or in the sales.
Amazing discounts and promotions – delivered via email, text message, or an opportune pop-up window on the Web – may lead you to bogus ecommerce sites strictly designed to separate you from your credit card number. Order the merchandise promised, and it may never come – but you’ll be charged for it (and more) just the same.
Be extra vigilant when shopping for Christmas. Some deals sound too good to be true because they are. They could be outright scams.
Double-check website domain names
Phishing is most effective when a scammer is pretending to be a brand you know and trust. A high-quality but phony store hawking well-known or highdemand products is likely to look almost identical to the real thing – so be vigilant in looking for signs that reveal its true colours.
For example, inspect logos, email address headers, and the text and content of messages before clicking anything.
Make sure merchant websites are secure
In recent years, websites have been moving from HTTP to HTTPS, a communication system that encrypts all traffic between users and the websites they visit, which can dramatically improve security against certain types of attacks.
It’s easy to tell whether a website is not secured with HTTPS. All major web browsers indicate this with an icon to the left of the site’s URL. The icon is a lowercase “i” with a circle around it on Microsoft Edge and Firefox; Google Chrome also notes “Not secure” on insecure sites.
HTTPS (with S on the end) is a secure protocol because it includes encryption and authentication, which keeps the information shared between your computer and the website private.
HTTPS might not be as important if you’re visiting your neighbour’s blog, but it is if you’re on a site where you plan to buy something, where you need to provide your payment card credentials, your address, and log in with your username and password.
Instead of, or next to, the lowercase “i” icon on every browser, look for a locked padlock icon on retail sites that shows they are using the most current security mechanisms, indicating that your shopping sessions are encrypted and secure.
Remember to be patient
When you’re in a rush to complete your shopping as quickly as possible, it is natural that you might miss something. Take a breath and slow down. Cyberthieves often prey upon people’s poor cyber habits or attempt to trick you with phishing messages designed to make you panic – such as warnings about a delayed package or a credit card purchase that didn’t go through. Just as a big discount might be too good to be true, an urgent warning might be too dramatic to be taken at face value.
There are various banking scams at the moment, such as from HSBC and Santander. 'Which' magazine has advised that the fake HSBC text directs customers to call a fraudulent helpline - hoping to trick HSBC customers into giving away sensitive details. These texts display ‘PASSCODE’ as the sender and attempt to capitalise on security checks known as ‘strong customer authentication’ (SCA). An example of this text reads: ‘HSBC: Your OTP is 429384 for a payment of 850.00 GDP to EXPEDIA – REF: HS9X. If this wasn’t you, call us immediately on 0330 828 1274. If you call the number you will hear an automated recorded message or interactive voice response asking you to input your branch sort code and 15-digit card number or customer identification number before being supposedly put through to an adviser. Don't do it!
The previous Carphone Warehouse scammers have now realised that this name no longer exists and are using Currys/PC World to phone residents. Be wary of any unexpected calls saying that they are from Currys/PC World.
I am attaching a document which gives good advice on how to protect yourself when purchasing products online, especially leading up to Christmas. Also the Parcel Delivery scams will no doubt increase.
Regards
David
PS Thanks to our colleagues in Berkshire for the above detaills
Attachments
Neighbourhood Watch Flyer 2.0 (2) FINAL.pdf - 74.3 KB
Message Sent By
David Alder (NWN, Area Representative, Thames Valley, South Buckinghamshire (East))
************************************************
The text from the Neighbourhood Watch Flyer 2.0 (mentioned above) is reproduced below:
Computer and mobile device users can be at risk of being hacked, scammed, and phished, but when the Christmas holidays arrive, which means more time spent online shopping and browsing, crooks really have an opportunity to cause some mischief.
They’re hacking consumers using sophisticated phishing attacks that attempt to trick people into giving up their personal information, including bank account details or credit card data.
Follow these tips to help protect yourself during the holiday season.
Watch out for deals that are too good to be true
Black Friday deals have convinced the world that insane discounts are to be expected leading up to Christmas or in the sales.
Amazing discounts and promotions – delivered via email, text message, or an opportune pop-up window on the Web – may lead you to bogus ecommerce sites strictly designed to separate you from your credit card number. Order the merchandise promised, and it may never come – but you’ll be charged for it (and more) just the same.
Be extra vigilant when shopping for Christmas. Some deals sound too good to be true because they are. They could be outright scams.
Computer and mobile device users can be at risk of being hacked, scammed, and phished, but when the Christmas holidays arrive, which means more time spent online shopping and browsing, crooks really have an opportunity to cause some mischief.
They’re hacking consumers using sophisticated phishing attacks that attempt to trick people into giving up their personal information, including bank account details or credit card data.
Follow these tips to help protect yourself during the holiday season.
Watch out for deals that are too good to be true
Black Friday deals have convinced the world that insane discounts are to be expected leading up to Christmas or in the sales.
Amazing discounts and promotions – delivered via email, text message, or an opportune pop-up window on the Web – may lead you to bogus ecommerce sites strictly designed to separate you from your credit card number. Order the merchandise promised, and it may never come – but you’ll be charged for it (and more) just the same.
Be extra vigilant when shopping for Christmas. Some deals sound too good to be true because they are. They could be outright scams.
Double-check website domain names
Phishing is most effective when a scammer is pretending to be a brand you know and trust. A high-quality but phony store hawking well-known or highdemand products is likely to look almost identical to the real thing – so be vigilant in looking for signs that reveal its true colours.
For example, inspect logos, email address headers, and the text and content of messages before clicking anything.
Make sure merchant websites are secure
In recent years, websites have been moving from HTTP to HTTPS, a communication system that encrypts all traffic between users and the websites they visit, which can dramatically improve security against certain types of attacks.
It’s easy to tell whether a website is not secured with HTTPS. All major web browsers indicate this with an icon to the left of the site’s URL. The icon is a lowercase “i” with a circle around it on Microsoft Edge and Firefox; Google Chrome also notes “Not secure” on insecure sites.
HTTPS (with S on the end) is a secure protocol because it includes encryption and authentication, which keeps the information shared between your computer and the website private.
HTTPS might not be as important if you’re visiting your neighbour’s blog, but it is if you’re on a site where you plan to buy something, where you need to provide your payment card credentials, your address, and log in with your username and password.
Instead of, or next to, the lowercase “i” icon on every browser, look for a locked padlock icon on retail sites that shows they are using the most current security mechanisms, indicating that your shopping sessions are encrypted and secure.
Remember to be patient
When you’re in a rush to complete your shopping as quickly as possible, it is natural that you might miss something. Take a breath and slow down. Cyberthieves often prey upon people’s poor cyber habits or attempt to trick you with phishing messages designed to make you panic – such as warnings about a delayed package or a credit card purchase that didn’t go through. Just as a big discount might be too good to be true, an urgent warning might be too dramatic to be taken at face value.
